A destination you will never wish to leave: Gargano National Park

Ciao Amici,

If you consider yourself to be somewhat of a connoisseur of global natural beauty look furthermore, you have opened the portal which will offer you a glimpse to a destination that is the most astonishingly underrated place I’ve visited so far. The Gargano National Park will ultimately end up high on your ‘must-see’ list by the time you finish reading this blog post.

The coastline along the Gargano National Park is breathtaking with limestone cliffs and rock formations. Photo Credit: Marko.

Gargano National Park

Gargano National Park (Italian: Parco Nazionale del Gargano) is a heavenly promontory that sits on the spur of Italy’s iconic boot. Covering over 120,000 hectares, the Gargano was declared a national park in the ’90s in order to protect sites with immeasurable naturalistic, archaeological, religious and anthropologic significance.

Why you must visit the Gargano

The Gargano features sandy and pebble beaches, most of which are enclosed by imposing and awe-inspiring limestone cliffs and rock formations. It has an ancient forest, Forest Umbra, which is the only part of Italy that still has ancient beech and oak forests which once covered a large area of Central Europe. Along the coastline and in the mountains, you will find the most delightful towns full of little white houses, some with religious sites that pilgrims travel across the world to see.

Driving along you will come across cows eating from one of the thousands of olive trees or strolling in the forest and you will find dogs acting as shepherds, guiding goats and sheep to safety. The local produce is some of the freshest in Italy and it will usually be served with a smile from genuinely friendly, hospitable locals who craft their products with generations of family wisdom and understandable pride.

Gargano is the place to bathe in natures beauty in total tranquillity and photographers will be absolutely spoiled by the abundant supply of subjects.

One of the many cows we spotted roaming freely in Forest Umbra. Cows are one of my favourite animals so you will see a few pictures of them in this post.

I must you warn you-you might never want to leave. We extended our stay on two occasions, staying for a grand total of 17 days and had to strongly resist the temptation to extend for a third time. We want to return in the future and stay even longer.

There are countless beaches to explore in Gargano. Photo Credit: Marko.

Where to visit in Gargano:

I must preface this all by saying that the Gargano itself is deserving of its own guidebook. In some aspects, it is like visiting a different country, not Italy. I am merely scratching the surface with my insights. Without further ado… here are some places we recommend visiting in Gargano along with some food recommendations and general tips.

Forest Umbra

Forest Umbra is an ancient forest which has incredibly unique fauna and flora, due to its geographical position and natural events that have occurred over millions of years. This forest has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017 because of its ancient beech trees.

Forest Umbra oozes serenity and natural beauty. It constantly surprised me with the sights and the animals roaming throughout it.

There are a number of ways to indulge in the beauty of this forest from hiking one of the trails to enjoying a picnic on one of the many picnic tables. We chose to do some random short hikes in the forest as well as enjoy our breakfast there. There is not a lot of information available online about the trails. I have read that there is an information centre in the forest with maps for purchase but they are only in Italian and low on detail.

Some cows we met at a picnic ground in Forest Umbra.

We loved watching the cows, sheep, goats roaming freely in the forest sometimes accompanied by shepherd dogs. I have never seen animals living in such a way and it was heartwarming to see. This was definitely a highlight of my visit.

We watched a large procession of goats and sheep in Forest Umbra.Behind them was a hardworking sheep dog.

Beaches

Italians have the unfortunate tendency to plonk unsightly beach beds wherever it is possible in order to capitalise on beachgoers. I have to admit, I detest this and I try to avoid beaches that are totally covered in beach beds. For me, it defeats the purpose of going somewhere to take in a natural landscape. It is kind of hard to find beaches without beach beds. One benefit of visiting off-season is that some beaches have fewer beach beds or none of them at all. I think this is particularly strange for me as an Australian but this would be considered normal by most Europeans.

Marko loved Spiagga del Castello because of the soft sand and Montenegrin beaches normally have pebbles.

The weather rapidly cooled down soon after we arrived so, unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to enjoy the beach. There are many other beaches in the promontory and I only managed to visit a few. My two beach recommendations will come under the topics of ‘Towers’ and ‘Vieste’.

The colours of the sea in Gargano was nothing short of mesmerising.

Towers/Torres

There are countless towers (Italian: Torres) that were established in the 16th century dotted along the coastline of Gargano National Park and also in other regions of Italy. We managed to get close to 4 of them.

Climbing the steps of a 16th-century tower. Photo Credit: Marko.

The towers were once used to protect the region from pillaging pirates. It was used as a vantage point for spotting and warding off threats, to alert local people of attack and even for peasants to shelter within. According to an article that I read, these towers weren’t particularly effective and resulted in more aggressive attacks, especially on smaller settlements.

Exploring inside a dilapidated tower.

You are able to explore around some of these towers, on one occasion we even explored the insides of a partially destroyed one (a bit risky, I know). We even saw one that had been converted into a home!!

A tower that has been converted into a home! We were gobsmacked by this haha.

Check out the beaches near the towers

The towers are often located next to some really gorgeous beaches too. If you spot a tower, I recommend to park your car nearby and check out the beaches surrounding them. You might be pleasantly surprised!

The towers are situated along the coastline and typically have a beautiful beach below or nearby to them.

I recommend visiting the towers located nearby to the camping ground Baia Falcone as you are able to view 3 towers and even get close to a ruined one. There is a lovely beach to walk along in that area, as well as a Trabucchi, which is a traditional wooden fishing machine, typical to the Gargano region.

Towns

Peschici was one of the prettiest towns that we visited in Gargano.

The following places are all super charming, with mostly pretty white buildings and I recommend exploring all of them by foot. You never know what you may find around the corners of these picturesque towns. If you explore them off-season you will feel like you have these places all to yourself at times. Some parts of these areas are very residential but it is entertaining to simply people watch as locals go about their days, you may even be greeted by the locals as well as some furry friends.

My favourite way to explore is by foot and the towns of Gargano were all perfect for this! Photo Credit: Marko.

Vieste

Vieste by day. To the right is a lovely promenade to explore by foot with the view of a little lighthouse.

Vieste has one of the larger townships in Gargano and is a great place to stock up on supplies, shop for clothing, find great food, drink coffee and of course, wander around.

Drinking coffee in Vieste after a fun photo walk through the city.

In medieval times Vieste was heavily attacked by pirates and at one stage the people of Vieste were enslaved and slaughtered en masse by Turks.

The 13th-century castle in Vieste is still being used for defence.

As mentioned earlier, the towers are evidence of their defence system from centuries ago, there is also a Swabian castle in the town of Vieste, which to this day is used for defence, in the form of a military establishment which is closed to the public. In my travels throughout Europe, I’ve normally seen castles and fortresses used as tourist attractions, sometimes with museums inside, so this was really surprising and fascinating that it is still in use for its original purpose.

Charming streets of Vieste.

We also visited a free museum, Museo Malacologico, which displays and sells rare shells along with other precious items. This was an interesting place to peruse especially because it is so rare to see the kind of shells that we saw completely intact.

A pretty kitty we came across while wandering around Vieste.

Beach: Spiagga della Scialara

Our favourite beach was Spiagga della Scialara which is one of the most well-known beaches in Gargano due to a giant limestone rock which has been named ‘Pizzamunno’. When we drove by this beach we were very keen to check it out upon spotting its white limestone cliffs and the humongous rock by the beach. From the beach, you can even see the city centre of Vieste.

‘Pizzamunno’ in all its glory, along with people enjoying the last days of Summer.

Due to the shallow waters, we were able to walk in the water, as many people were doing, without actually fully immersing ourselves in the water. This was a really cool experience.

Walking in the shallow water at Spiagga del Castello. Photo Credit: Marko.

Where to eat in Vieste

Dessert: Cornetto is a very popular dessert in Gargano. It is essentially a croissant-like pastry, filled with a filling of your choice like nocciola (English: hazelnut) or Chantilly cream. Bar Pasticceria Matteosky has some of the tastiest, generously-sized cornettos in Gargano and at 1.50EU is a very budget friendly treat.

Delicious cornetti.

Bakery:Panificio Giuffreda is the place to go for pizza, biscotti and bread. We discovered very early on that pizza disappointment (yes, I am coining this term) was less likely if you visit a bakery. Panificio Guiffreda has some of the best pizzas, baked on delicious and very filling bread, with a variety of vegetable toppings. This is really a budget-friendly alternative to getting a whole pizza.

Cheesery: We visited La Fattoria to pick up some fresh cheeses, this wasn’t cheap (10-15 euros per kilogram) but you are paying for very high-quality products. We loved their pecorino which was the perfect snack as well as their ricotta which took my homemade cannelloni to the next level. They also have a restaurant which is rated very highly on Trip Advisor.
Marko savouring some pecorino cheese from La Fattoria.

Best supermarkets for budget conscious people: If you are getting around by car and plan to cook, MD Discount is one of the cheapest supermarkets to visit in Gargano. RD Discount is another option but it is a bit painful to reach, even by car. These supermarkets are both located in Vieste.

Monte Sant’Angelo

Admiring the view in Monte Sant’Angelo. Photo Credit: Marko.

Monte Sant’Angelo (English: Saint Angel mountain) as the name suggests, is a town up in the mountains. This town is a famous spot for Christian pilgrims to visit because Saint Michael the Archangel is said to have appeared in a cave, in 490, 492 and 493. In the present day, you can visit the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and visit the exact location the archangel is said to have appeared at.

Streets of Monte Sant’Angelo. Photo Credit: Marko.

There are multiple sites in Monte Sant’Angelo that would be of interest to pilgrims and architecture appreciators, including a 12th-century baptistery, Tomba di Rotari and an 11th-century Catholic church, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Marko dabbled in some street photography in Monte Sant’Angelo. I spotted these cool looking older gentlemen and practically begged Marko to take a shot. This led to some friendly conversations. Photo Credit: Marko.

I felt less inclined to visit religious sites for most of this trip for no apparent reason so I didn’t visit any of these sites. We did, however, enjoy wandering through these streets. Marko and I chatted to some locals, tried some food and left quickly upon seeing oceans of crowds. I recommend visiting early in the day if possible to avoid hordes of tourists visiting by tour buses.

The towns of Gargano usually have these iconic white houses but we never tired of seeing them. It is especially a novelty for me. I love places in the world where preservation of historical local architecture is a priority.

Where to eat in Monte Sant’Angelo

Cafe/restaurant with a view: We visited Cantine Cippone for coffee and some desserts and sat outside on their terrace to soak up some sun rays and got a very cool perspective over the rooftops of a residential part of Monte Sant’Angelo.
A pretty spot to have a coffee in Monte Sant’Angelo.

Bakery: Marko picked up a little pizza from Panaficio Moretti and he was so mindblown over how tasty it was, that I couldn’t resist capturing the moment. As I mentioned earlier, bakeries are the place to go for a pizza snack that will blow your mind nearly every single time without blowing your budget.
Marko devouring a delectable pizzetta from Panaficio Moretti.

Vico del Gargano

A tiny utility truck navigating its way through the streets of Vico Del Gargano.

Vico del Gargano, known affectionately as ‘The Village of Love’ was certainly a romantic place to take a stroll. We wandered around this town, patting many dogs and exploring the unexpected nooks and crannies. The drive up to this town was simply breathtaking, especially with the coastal views from above.

A good girl or boy waiting patiently for its owner.

St. Valentine is the patron saint of Vico del Gargano so in the town you will find Piazzetta San Valentino (English: Little square of Saint Valentine) as well as Vicolo del Bacio (English: Alley of kisses). These are both romantic places for a lovers tryst. If you happen to visit around Valentine’s Day (13-20th of February), they celebrate all week long with multiple events taking place.

Piazzetta San Valentino is a romantic place to share a cheeky kiss.

We particularly enjoyed inspecting the Chiesa del Purgatorio (English: Church of Purgatory) which had some very unique, morbid decorations on the exterior of the church. Our favourite part about Vico del Gargano is in the form of a food recommendation which you will find below.

Extremely interesting details on the exterior of Chiesa del Purgatorio.

Where to eat in Vico del Gargano

Dessert

This place sits firmly in my top 3 dessert experiences of the year. You might remember when I lost my mind after eating a beignet in Strasbourg – well, this experience rivalled that. I stared into space and couldn’t talk properly for about 10 minutes after sampling one of the best desserts of my life. We had a large assortment of pastries which we absolutely savoured.

We couldn’t resist making the trip up the mountain to return here and I can’t lie, this may have contributed to one of our trip extensions. It is called ‘Dolci Pensieri’, the lovely pastry chef expertly crafts regional desserts as well as pasta and serves you with warm Southern hospitality. Dolci Pensieri isn’t listed on google maps. So put this address into google maps: Via Aia Mascis, 5 – Vico del Gargano and follow the pink signs. If you are a foodie visiting Gargano and take anything from this blog post, I implore you to visit here! It isn’t cheap at about 16 euros per kilogram for pastries but in this case, you are truly getting what you pay for, high-quality products!

Marko and I felt like kids in a candy shop while selecting our sweets.

Peschichi

Peschichi was an absolute dream to explore by foot, the sea views from the town really add something to the experience.

This Santorini-esque town, perched upon a cliff is another one of the larger towns in Gargano. Like a lot of the towns in Gargano, this is a wonderful place to wander, especially at sunset as you get unbelievable sea views from the fortified old town. Marko and I both agreed this is one of the prettiest towns in Gargano. Unfortunately, a lot of places were closed for the season by the time we visited.

Peschichi by night.

How to get around

With car

I highly recommend getting around by car because it is the easiest way to explore the national park. Some of the roads are fairly uneven with potholes, especially in the forest and there are sometimes cows and goats on the road so you need to be very attentive while driving.

A fiat driving through the streets of Peschici.

Public transport

You can take the bus or train to San Severo or Foggia and then take a local bus to your final destination. Using public transport in this area is possible but it can also be slow, infrequent and unreliable. I found some helpful advice in a forum if it is your only option.

When to visit

I recommend visiting in autumn, around September-October if you wish to enjoy some of the remaining warmth of summer while avoiding the crowds and the high prices of peak season.

Autumn in the forest was quite cold nevertheless it was worth visiting. Definitely bring a warm coat and wear layers if you visit around the same time.

Spring is a great time to see the wildflowers in Forest Umbra. Summer is a very popular time to visit especially for Italians so you can expect higher prices and crowds. According to the official Gargano tourism website, winter is a great season for hiking, leisure fishing and deep sea fishing and if you are after a cultural festive experience, they celebrate by honouring Christmas traditions that originate from centuries past.

A tip for travelling during the off-peak season

If you choose to travel in any season except summer and late spring, you need to keep in mind that a lot of shops, restaurants and cafes are closed for the rest of the year. During the off-peak season, they can also have unusual opening hours. They don’t always display these opening hours on their doors or online.

Tourist attractions and religious sites may also have shorter operational hours. We found most of the central area of Vieste to be up and running for our entire stay in autumn.

Recommended accommodation

We stayed in a one bedroom house at Valle Umbra Holiday Home, that we booked through booking.com. Our accommodation was one of the reasons that we didn’t want to leave Gargano.

Our hospitable hosts greeted us with wine and olive oil from their farm and we enjoyed staying on their large property that was full of olive trees. The apartment had a fully equipped kitchen so we had a lot of fun cooking up a storm most nights. We loved having coffee with a view of the forest from our balcony and sunbathing on the terrace. One day we hope to return to the same accommodation.

We feel like Vieste was a good place to base ourselves despite it being a long drive to places like Monte Sant’ Angelo and Mattinata. You could possibly break up your accommodation and stay in a second place if you wish to explore the East coast, from Mattinata and beyond more extensively.

The Gargano tourism website also has some valuable information that can help you put together the ideal itinerary for you. This page, in particular, has some links relating to specific areas of interest so you can tailor your visit specific to your interests.

Gargano was one of my favourite places to shoot in Italy due to the huge range of subjects.

I hope this blog post has inspired you to visit the Gargano National Park. It is truly the best place to visit on Italy’s Adriatic coast and is incomparable to the rest of that coastline! It was a soul rejuvenating experience and a memorable highlight of our road trip. Marko and I continued to talk together about our experiences in Gargano as we travelled around Italy. We still talk about it now that we are back home in Montenegro. We will be back one day, for sure.

Ciao from an Italian cow!

Visit Gargano for an authentic Italian experience

Gargano is the place to visit for an authentic Italian experience unlike anything else. Sightseeing in Italy and getting a feel for Italy are very different things and getting an authentic experience can be even difficult if you are not Italian. The Gargano National Park has something that everyone could enjoy but I especially recommend it for nature lovers and foodies seeking authentic Italian food. The warm Southern hospitality that we experienced in Gargano was incomparable to the rest of Italy. The following journey was sometimes a rude shock because of that. Throw away your rigid itinerary and forge your own path in the unforgettable Gargano.

Special thanks to Marko for his photographic contributions and insights included in this post :).

[…] as Bologna or Florence but this is just my own personal preference. We headed from San Marino to Gargano National Park where we spent a lot of time. San Marino is about 4.5 hours away from the entrance of Gargano, […]

Hi, my name is Mikki! I travel slowly and on a budget, in search of authentic cultural experiences, hidden gems and epic natural wonders. Travelling slowly allows me to bring you well-informed advice, along with a plethora of personal tales and travel photography. I hope to inspire you to choose your own adventure, not a cookie cutter one!